Last parade as RAF base shuts

Hundreds lined the streets to say a final farewell to an RAF base that has been part of their county's history for more than 70 years.

RAF Cottesmore in Rutland, home to Joint Force Harrier, which combined RAF and Royal Navy pilots and ground crew, is now closed as a base in its own right.

Its 74 Harriers, which recently saw five years' action in Afghanistan providing air support to ground troops, are being mothballed awaiting a buyer – a victim of defence cuts.

Yesterday, 120 RAF and Royal Navy personnel of RAF Cottesmore, headed by the station's commander, Group Captain Gary Waterfall, marched through Oakham and Cottesmore in a final farewell parade.

Crowds lined the route and as the marchers reached Cottesmore's Main Street, led by the band of the RAF College Cranwell, spectators clapped and cheered.

Four Tornados from RAF Marham in Norfolk, whose pilots are currently involved in bombing missions in Libya, flew over the base in salute.

Rutland's dog warden, Barry Briggs, 62, said: "I can remember in 1956 when the Victors and V-bombers came here.

"We used to go up there on Battle of Britain Day, it was a real family day out. It's a sad loss to the community."

Normandy veteran John Stokes, 87, of Clipsham, said: "I always come for the remembrance services and I met a lot of the officers.

"I thought I'd pay my respects, it's very sad."

The salute was taken by Lord Lieutenant of Rutland Dr Laurence Howard as it passed St Nicholas Church, Cottesmore. He said: "It's a moving occasion which we should use to celebrate the outstanding work of RAF Cottesmore over 70 years and to say a farewell to the men and women who have served the country and the county so well."

After a service in All Saints Church in Oakham, the parade marched through the town's High Street, where hundreds more were waiting to applaud.

Former RAF warrant officer Tony Bradley, 67, of Oakham, who served at the base, said: "It would be handy now to have two aircraft carriers full of Harriers based off Libya, instead of flying Tornados there from Norfolk."

Alan Aveyard, 59, of Cottesmore, said: "The closure of the base is affecting everybody. People have lost their jobs and local businesses are suffering."

Souvenir shop owner Andy Hirst, of Oakham said; "I've got the bunting out today for the parade, but I'm wondering if the flags should be black, with the base and Ashwell Prison closing today."

Sadly, a _lot_ more of this kind of thing will have to happen. Squeezing the less well-off would be avoided by slashing our absurdly large defence budget. Take a look at how relatively better off Northern European countries are than ourselves, and then look at their more sensible levels of 'defence' spending!